Aquatic toy



C. w. KERSHAW ET AL AQUATIC TOY Filed May;23, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet l A t torneiu Oct. 7, 194-1.

c. w. KERSHAW ET AL 2,253,095

AQUATIC TOY Filed May 25, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 A ttomey Patented Oct. 7, 1941 TED STAT E Gornelius.WilliamKershaw andgwilliam Andrew McMillan, Newport, Rel;

V .Application m yzs, 1940, Serial No. 336,858

eat; invention. relates to. new and usepn H with acvei means for launching miniature torpedoes ina highly realistic manner.-

An'other very-important object ofthe invention is'to provide a toy of the aforementioned character embodying a novel construction, combination and arrangement whereby the torpedoes, after leaving the tube or ejector, will propel themselves through the water.

Other objects of the invention are to provide a toy of the character described which will be comparatively simple in construction, strong, durable, highly amusing, attractive in appearance and which maybe manufactured at low cost.

All of the foregoing and still further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from a study of the following specification, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein like characters of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, and wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view, showing a boat equipped with a miniature torpedo ejector constructed in accordance with the present inven tion.

Figure 2 is a view in vertical longitudinal section through the torpedo ejector, showing a torpedo therein.

Figure 3 is a view in longitudinal section through the torpedo.

Figure 4 is a detail View in perspective of the lock for the torpedo propeller.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, it will be seen that the reference numeral l designates generallly a suitable toy boat. Mounted in supports 2 on the deck 3 of the hull of the boat I is a tube 4 of suitable metal. Bands 5 firmly secure the tube 4 to the supports 2. The rear end of the tube 4 is provided with a closure 6 having an opening I therein. The forward end of the tube 4 is open and undercut, as at 8.

Slidably mounted in the tube 4 is a substantially cup-shaped plunger 9. A coil spring ID in the rear portion of the tube 4 is adapted to project the plunger 9. Pivotally mounted on the plunger 9 is a. hook II which is adapted to project through the opening I for engagement with the closure 6 for releasably securing said plunger 9 in retracted position against the tension of the coil spring l0.

Pivotally mounted on the rear support 2 is a cam lever I2 which is operatively engageable 31 Claims (Cl: 461-;9ll

with the. hook 11. for. disengaging, sai'dhook from thejclo-sure 6' for jre'leasing the plunger 9. n; suitable operating string/ls is connected to one end. poitibflpffthe cantilever? IZ. A Stop pin-14; on the plunger 9 Iirnits-thetravelof saidplunger in the; meeafand, in,adcuti'ori,"prevents rotation of sand plunger. The pin I4 is operable in a guide l5 which is provided therefore on the tube 4.

The tube 4 is for the reception of a minature torpedo which is designated generally by the reference numeral l6. As illustrated to advantage in Fig. 3 of the drawings, thetorpedo [6 comprises a tubular body ll of suitable material having mounted on its forward end a substantially rounded cap l8. Mounted on the rear end of the tubular body I1 is a substantially conical cap IS. The rear end portion of the cap I9 is formed to provide a bearing 20 in which a shaft 2| is journaled. Fixed on a shaft 2| and spaced from the rear end thereof is a propeller 22. At its forward or inner end, the propeller shaft 2| terminates in a hook 23. The reference numeral 24 designates a rubber band having one end engaged in the hook 23 and its other end engaged in a hook 25 in the front cap l8. Stabilizers 26 are provided on the cap 19.

The reference numeral 21 designates generally a lock for releasably securing the propeller 22 against unwinding after it has been wound. Toward this end, the lock 21 includes a substantially U-shaped metallic plate 28 which is adapted to straddle the propeller 22, the legs 29 of said plate being engageablewith the stabilizers 25 on opposite sides thereof. The bight portion of the plate 28 has formed longitudinally therein a groove or channel 30 which accommodates the propeller shaft 2|. The lock 21 is connected to the forward end portion of the barrel or tube 4 by a string 3|. Q

It is thought that the manner of using the toy will be readily apparent from a consideration of the foregoing. Briefly, the rubber band 24 of the torpedo I5 is wound in an obvious manner by simply rotating the shaft 2|. The lock 21 is then slipped on the torpedo to prevent unwinding thereof. The torpedo is then inserted in the barrel or tube 4, the plunger 9 being forced rearwardly in a manner to compress the coil spring Ill. The pivoted hook II is engaged with the closure 6 and the torpedo is now ready to be launched. To accomplish this, the cam lever I2 is actuated through the medium of the string I3 for disengaging the pivoted hook II from the closure 6. The plunger 9 is immediately moved forwardly by the coil spring Ill, said plunger engaging the rear end of the propeller shaft 21. Thus, the torpedo I6 is ejected from the tube 4. When the end of the string 3| is reached the lock 21 is jerked from the torpedo, thus releasing the propeller 22 which is now actuated by the unwinding rubber band 24 for driving the torpedo through the water.

It is believed that the many advantages of a toy constructed in accordance with the present invention will be readily understood and although a preferred embodiment of the device is V as illustrated and described, it is to be understood that changes in the details of construction'and in the combination and arrangement of parts, may be resorted to which will fall Within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed is: 1. A toy of the character described comprising a tube, a miniature torpedo insertable in said tube, said torpedo including a body, stabilizing fins on said body, a propeller mounted on the body and means for actuating said propeller, a locking member for the propeller engageable with the'stabilizing fins; means in the tube for ejecting the torpedo therefrom, and means connecting the propeller locking means to the tube for disconnecting said locking means from the torpedo when said torpedo is launched.

2. A toy of the character described comprising a tube, a minature torpedo insertable in said tube, said torpedo including a power actuated propeller, means for releasably securing the propeller against rotation, means for ejecting the torpedo from the tube, and means for removing the propeller securing means for freeing the propeller when the torpedo is launched.

3. A toy of the class described comprising a. propeller including a substantially hollow body,

' stabilizing fins on one end portion of said body,

' a shaft journaled in said one end portion of the body and projecting therefrom, means for rotating the shaft, a propeller fixed, at an intermediate point, on said shaft, and a. substantially U-shaped member adapted to straddle the propellerand engageable with the stabilizing fins for releasably securing the propeller against rotation, the bight portion of said member having a channel therein for the reception of the shaft.

CORNELIUS WILLIAM KERSHAW. WILLIAM ANDREW MoMILLAN. 

